Im going to take a look at a 97 Honda with 150k on it and Im wondering if you guys have (on paper or in your head) things you check for? Its been a while since I have looked at used car with high miles and I don’t wanna go there not prepared. I’m thinking of bringing with me a compression tester to check each cylinder. I hope he doesnt have a problem with that. Over the years I have learned a thing or two but Id like to pick your brains on what you look for/procedures.
Thanks
Off the top of my head…
Check all easily accessible fluids. Walk away if any look bad. If they can’t even bother to fill/change them when it’s up for sale what chance is there they ever properly maintained the vehicle?
Check for signs of previous collision damage. Look for overspray on door jams, between panel gaps, inside gas filler door etc. Look at panel alignment.
Really get a good smell of the carpets looking for signs of water damage. If the carpets smell of strong deodorizer start looking even closer.
See if wear items match up with the reported mileage. I haven’t bought a used car with more than 40k miles since my first car, so seeing things like seatbelts really worn, pedals worn bare etc is a sure sign something is wrong. Seeing these items are brand new should also raise a red flag.
Visual inspection of engine bay looking for any non-oem bits, signs of hack job repairs.
Bring a code scanner and see if the readiness monitors are set. If they’re not someone probably just turned off a CEL and they’re hoping it will stay off during the short test drive.
Drive it looking for mechanical issues. All the standard stuff, track straight, run smooth, suspension feels good, trans shifts smooth etc. I like to have a friend with me who will play with the HVAC and stereo during the test drive looking for anything there that doesn’t work while I can concentrate on the mechanical bits.
Engine noise,codes,exhaust leaks,unusual tire wear and always look at the underside of the car to see how badly WNY has treated it (frame rot,line rot). I probably wouldn’t bother doing a compression test on it,if it has a miss or runs like shit just walk away. Cant be all that picky on a 16 year old Honda,lol.
Under the car check all joint boots (ball joints, CV-joints, tie-rod joints) for cracking or for grease leakage. This is a sign that those parts are on their way out.
Check Steering rack and power steering lines for leakage
Check brake pads and rotors for excessive wear or obvious negligence.
In your case, look for rust on brake and gas lines and on the gas tank.
I would expect a new car. If you have to ask, buy a new car. If you can’t tell by looking at it/driving it, you shouldn’t buy a used car.
From my shopping experience I can tell you this, what turns me right away from buying a car is a filthy interior. Cause if you fail an easy task of maintaining where you spend most of the time in a car usually the rest of the vehicle is shit too.
This applies to a vehicle you’re not looking to bring back from the dead of course.
also make sure the car isn’t warmed up when you get there, look for smoke on startup and fluids underneath. Check coolant level and color. Ask for records of timing belt replacemant
Yea thats one thing i know has not been done, the TB
Thanks guys. Some I had planned, some were refreshers and others are good ideas.
:tup:
THIS. When I was looking for a replacement car I would see this every so often.
Always check before it’s started. I usually get some kind of bullshit like “oh someone just test drove it”, or “I just moved it out of the way from the other car”
The engine is burning fucking hot from “just moving it”?
Granted, I was looking for a Grand am with a 3.4, so if they’ve been treated it like shit they tend to knock like hell when cold then quiet down when they warm up…
I also like to check the HVAC controls. Make sure they work in all positions (defroster, feet, etc… Cheap fix but PITA to pull apart the dash) and that there actually is heat/AC.
Hell yeah I hate that shit. When I asked a seller(who was a mechanic by trade) if he would allow me to look at the car when it was cold, he asked me “what’s that gonna show you” Car was at full temp when I looked at it, reason was he had to move it out of the garage.